Hand-truck



E. J. BRYAN.

HAND TRUCK.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. 2 7, i911.

Patented Nov. 22, 19.21l

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

E. j. BRYAN.

HAND TRUCK;

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 27,1917.

` 1,397,719. PatenaNov. 22,1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Magg/4Q E. J. BRYAN'.

`HAND TRUCK. APPLICATION FILED 1AN.21.191`1.

1 ,397,7 l 9. Patented Nov. 22, 1921.

4'SHEETS-SHEET 3- E. J. BRYAN.

HAND TRUCK.

APPLICATION FlLED JAN. 27,!917- 1,397,71 9. Patented NOV. 22, 1921.-

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDGAR J. BRYAN, OF RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR T0 FRED STEBLER, 0F RIVERSIDE, CALIFGRNIA.

HAND-TRUCK.

mamie.

Specification of Letters Patent Patented N ov. *22, 1921.

Application led January 27, 1917. Serial No. 144,982.

Aclamping members having'shiftable fulcrums and which are free from iiXed eonnection with the truck frame and also provvided with operating means bodily movably mounted upon the frame whereby a wide range of adjustment is permitted the clamping members and ease and reliability of op eration provided therefor'.

A further object is to provide a truck of the above mentioned character in which the clamping members are adapted to engage beneath and support boxes, barrels and the like of frail construction so that the necessity of gripping the sides of these boxes, barrels and the like and injury thereto is eliminated.

Another object is to provide such a construction and interrelation of parts as will permit the clamping means and the levers for actuating `the same to be mounted in front of and outside the truck frame, thus avoiding any necessity of recessing the bars of the lframe to permit the projection of the clamping devices laterally of the frame or to form bearings or guides for such projecting members or parts.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention Figure 1 is a perspective view of the truck showing it as it would appear when in use.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the truck.

Fig. 3 is a cross section taken on line 3f3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4i is a. front end elevation of the truck. y

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation showing the truck in 'tilted position and with a load of boxes thereon.

F 7 is a frontelevation of the truck showing the clamping members expanded.

Fig. V8 is a front elevation showing the clamping members contracted as when in position for gripping a load.

Fig. 9 is a cross sectional view of the truck.

Fig. 10 is a front elevation of a modiiied form of truck. Y

Fig. 11 is a rear elevation of the truck; and

Fig. 12 is a side elevation thereof being broken away in part andsectioned.

Referring in detail -to the drawings, 10 designates the truck frame which comprises preferably wooden side bars 11 and 12 terminating at their upper vends inv handles 13,'

and a. metallic rectangular frame 14 is.

mounted upon said bars, the end pieces 15 and 16 of the frame 14 serving -as cross braces for the truck frame. The frame 14C is provided with a. cross' brace 17 intermediate its upper and lower ends and this'brace 17 is connected with the upper end piece 15 by a reinforcing bar 18.

Extending rearwardly from the bars 11 and 12 are hand grips 19 to the outer endsk of which are fastened brace'. members 2O suitably connected with the frame 10. A bar 20d is secured tothe bars 11 and 12 and lies parallel to the bar 17 rearwardly thereof, certain of the brace members 20 being secured to said bar. These grips 19 serve as legs to support the truclr when thelatter is in horizontal position. An axlev21 journaled in suitable bearings 22 carried on the bars 11 and 12 has rotatably mounted thereon truck wheelsv 23 of the ordinary con struction.

I provide a means to clamp boxes and like articles so that they may be handled, which comprises opposed adjustable clamping members 211 and 25 that extend outwardly and forwardly from the truck frame. There is provided a means to move these clamping members 24and` 25 toward and awayy from each other in a horizontal plane and this means preferably comprises a somewhatlazy tongs construction which` may be operated by hand or foot and by both hand and foot. A number of spaced vertical parallel rods 26, and 28 are secured at their ends to the frame member 16 and the bar 20a. A horizontal slide member or angle bar 29 is vertically adjustably mounted upon the rods 26, and 28, there being provided openings in the angle bar to slidably receive the rods.`

iro

Parallel `levers and 3l are pivoted as at 32 and 33 respectively to the angle bar 29 in spaced relation to each other and nearl one end of said bar. These levers extend outwardly toward the opposite side of the truck and are pivoted as at 34 and 35 respectively angle bar 29 centrally of said bar. The

lower end of the operating bar is bifurcated as at and said bifurcated portion is bent at right angles to the body portion and rests upon the angle bar 29 to give rigidity to the connection.

There is provided a means for holding the operating bar 42 in adjusted position which comprises a centrally apertured plate 46 that is slidably mounted upon bolts 47 extending outwardly from the bar 20a. Expansion springs 48 are mounted upon the bolts 47Y and atftheir ends abut the outer tace of the late 46 and heads of the bolts so as to nor- Y mally hold the plate against the action of upper end.

the springs in engagement with the operating bar. A projection or lug 49 is carried upon the rear face or' the bar 2O'LL and is adapted to be extended into any of the openings 43 Vin the bar 42 and into'the opening in the plate. The bar 42 is of spring metal and when pulled outwardly away from the trame l() :Eorces'the plate 46 outwardly upon the bolts against the action of the spring so that the bar 42 clears the lug or projection 49 and is free to be pushed down or pulled up as the case may be. When the lug registers with one of the openings in the bar 42 the action ot the springs causes the plate to hold the bar in such position and it is therefore locked.

The rod 27 is slidable, yextends upwardly through an opening 50 in the bar 2Oa to a point adjacent the upper end of the truck frame and has a collar 51 mounted upon its An expansion springv 52 is mounted upon the rod 27 and engages the bar 2Oa and collar 5l so as to normally hold the rod in up position. A reinforcing member 53 of inverted V-shaped construction is secured to the member 29 and at its apex is apertured to receive the slidable rod 27. The lower end of the rod 27 is connected with an L-shaped foot-operating member which is slidably mounted upon the lower trame piece 16. A guide member 54 holds this foot member in position and the lower end of the toot' member is provided with divergent extensions 55 and 56. Pivoted to the extensions 55 and 56 are crossed links'57 and 58 which extend upwardly and lie respectively in front andin the rear of the pairs of levers 30 and 31,and 36 and 37. rlhe link 57 is pivoted as at 59 to the lever 30 at a point 70 approximately centrally to the ends of said lever 30 and extends rearwardly of both levers 30 and 3l. The upper'end of the link 57 is bent outwardly as at 60 so as to move freely past the sides of the truck Jframe upon the expansion ofthe clamping members. The link 58 crosses the outer side of the link 57 and at its upper end is pivotally 'connected with the outer face oi' the lever 36 as at 61. It will be seen that the links 57 and` s0 58 act as supporting mediums for the levers 30 and 3l, 36 and 37 serving to hold them in crossed relation as shown in Figs.` l and 2 of the drawings.

In operation7 assuming that the truck is to be used for handling boxes of a uniform size, the distance apart at which the clamping members must be spaced in order to best handle the boxes is determined andA the clamping members are moved to such determined positions by pulling out the operating bar 42 and moving it upwardly or down wardly as the case may be. lhen the clamping members are in the desired posi tion they should have suflicient clearance on each side of the box or article to be grasped and handled, to permit of the ready positioning of the clamping members upon each side of the box. The locking means including the plate 46 and lug 49 holds the clamping 100 member against outward adjustment. Upon the positioning of the clamping members upon opposite sides of the article lto be hann dled7 the clamping action maybe effected by pushing downwardly upon the toot operat- 105 ing member. 1When this is done the levers 57 and 58 are pulled downwardly andk their upper ends drawn toward one another resulting in lthe transmission of an inward pull to each of the outer levers 30 and 37 and l110 n an inward movement of the clamping members 24 and 25. Since the levers 30 and 31,

36 and 37 are pivoted at their respective ends and are equidistantly spaced from one another where pivoted. they move correspondingly when the anglebar is pushed downwardly or pulled upwardly and as they are pivoted to the links 57 and 58 which in turn are pivoted to the Vfoot-operating member, the clamping members 24 and 25 move in a `120 horizontal plane Ywhen being adjusted. This, however, does nottake place when the foot-operating member lis pushed downwardly to move the levers into clamping position, as the clamping members move inwardly and downwardly instead otinwardly in a horizontally plane, because the links57 and 58 in this instance are pulled downwardly bodily and likewise aliect the levers "30, 317 36 and 37. Boxes or articlesso 130 clamped, by their own weight, serve to hold the clamping members in clamping position against the action of the spring 52 and when the weight of the boxes is placed upon the floor or ground and the clamping members are relieved of such weight, the action of the spring comes into play and forces the clamping members out of clamping position.

Beveled vinwardly extending lugs 62 are carried upon the opposed faces of the clamp ing members and are adapted to be extended beneath boxes or articles to be handled to provide a supporting surface therefor. This provision is made so as to adapt the truck for handling paper or other fragile boxes or articles so that injury thereto through gripping the sides thereof is eliminated. In order to prevent the clamping members from resting upon the ground when the truck is in upright position, the wooden bars ll and l2 extend beyond the lower end of the metal frame 145 and act to support the frame in such position as will space the clamping members from the ground. To position the lugs 62 under the load, the truck is tilted forwardly from upright position so as to bring the lugs close to the ground and permit them to be extended under the load when the clamping action is provided.

The levers, it will be seen, are provided with shiftable fulcrums and in view of this arrangement, together with the means for operating the levers, an exceptionally wide range of adjustment is permitted the clamping members and the throw thereof when moved into clamping position is practically the same no matter what adjusted relation the clamping members bear to one another. In view of the above noted features of construction and operation, the truck is adapted for use in connection with articles and material to be carried from place to place and for use in places usually inaccessible to the ordinarily constructed clamp trucks.

It will be evident from the preceding description that the clamping members are pivotally supported on the free ends of a double lazy-tong construction constituting a parallel motion transmitting mechanism entirely supported upon a longitudinally adjustable slide which is locked in adjusted position while the operating means funcA tions to close or separate the clamping members. Also will it be evident that the rod 27, as the operating means, will move the clamping members an approximately uniform distance and that the longitudinal presetting of the slide 29 does not appreciably change said uniform distance but does change the transverse location of the Zone through which each of said clamping memhers move. Therefore, it may be said that the clamping members have an approximately uniform movement toward and from rlhere are provided opposed clampingy members 68 which extend outwardly in front of the truck frame at the lower end thereof and are adapted to be moved toward and away from one another to effect clamp ing and releasing of boxes or other articles to be carried by the truck.

The lower horizontal portion 69 of the frame 62 is provided with an opening 70 which slidably receives a bar 7l. This har is reduced and formed cylindrically near its upper end as at 72, said cylindrical porF1 tion being extended through an opening T3 formed in the brace 67 and above said brace A helical expansion spring 74 is mounted upon said portion 72 of the bar and rests upon the upper side of the brace. 'A Cotter pin 75 is inserted through the bar at the upper end thereof and engages the upper end of the spring.

Mounted upon the bar 7l is a slidemember 76 to the rear face..of which is secured a resilient adjusting bar 77. This slide member comprises a horizontal plate 75 slidably held upon the bar 7l by a strap 79. rllhe bar 77 extends parallel to the bar 7l above the brace 67 and is provided with a series of openings which are adapted to receive-a locking projection 80 which is carried by the brace 67. The bar 77 is extended through a U-shaped locking and guide member 80 slidably mounted upon the brace (S7 and springs 80 hold the member SO in frictional engagement `with the rear face of the bar to force it into position to he locked. The upper end of the bar 77 is curved as at 8l to provide a handle.

Pivoted to each of the clamping members are parallel links or levers 82 and 83. These pairs of arms or levers are crossed and at their upper ends are pivoted to the slide member 76.

To provide for the movement of the clamping members toward one another without affecting the bodily movement of the arms 82 and 83, there are provided links 84 and 85 which are pivoted to one another and to the lower end of thek bar 7l and at their upper ends as at 86 to the outermost arms of each pair. The bar 71 is provided near its lower end with a pedal operating member 87 which may be `iorced downwardly by the operator to move the clamping members toward one another.

1n operation, the jaws are tirst moved in the desired spaced relation, and this may be done by moving the operating bar `up or down, as the case may be, so that the slide member will be moved by the bar 7l and such movement will cause the arms or levers 82 and 83 to be moved toward or'away from each other at their lower ends. After the jaws are adjusted to the desired position they may be so held by allowing the adjusting bar to become locked, that is, by allowing one or the openings in tl e bar to receive the locking projection To effect a clamping of the members after they have been adjusted to thedesired position, the Voperator pushes the pedal downwardly and this causes the bar tomove correspondingly against the action of the spring and a downward and inward'pull is communicated to the arms orlevers through the links 84 and 85.V The weight of the load is sufficient to hold the clamping` members in clamping position atter they have once 4been moved into contact with the load. Upon the release oi the load, the spring 74 will causethe clamping members and cooperating parts to move into normal position.

I claim:

l. hand truck comprising a truck irame, clamping members adapted to be moved toward and away from one another, means bodily adjustably mounted in iront ot the trame and spaced therefrom to support and move the clamping members toward and away from one another, spring means operatively associated with the clamping members, and means cooperating with the lirst named operating means to move the clamping members into clamping position whereby they will support the weight of a load against Vthe actionoi the spring means and automatically move out of clamping position when the weight of the load is removed from the clamping members.

2. Aliand truck comprising truck trame,

a slide member adjustably supported upon the frame, levers pivoted to the slide member, means to lockthe slide member in adjusted position, said levers being mounted in rront of said frame and spaced there-trom, clamping members carried by said levers and adapted to move toward and away from one another upon adjustment of the slide member, and means cooperating with said levers to move them toward one another to operate the clamping` members.V

3. A hand truck comprising` a truck frame, a bar adjustably supported on the frame, a slide member adjustably mounted upon the bar, levers pivoted to said member and being` movable bodily therewith, clamping members supported by the levers, means for adjusting said slide member to move the clamping members toward and away Jfrom one another, and to lock said slide member in adjusted position, and means cooperating with said levers and bar to move said levers toward one another to operate the clamping members when the slide member is locked.

4c. A hand truck comprising a truck frame, a bar adjustably supported upon the frame, a slide member adjustably supported upon the frame, levers pivoted to said slide member and being Jfree from connection with the trame, clamping members carried by the levers, and links pivotally connected with the bar and lirst named levers, and means to lock the slide member in adjusted position.

5. hand truck comprising a truck frame, an adjustable slide member, levers pivoted to the slide member, clamping members connected with the levers and adapted to move toward and away from one another, means to lock said slide member in adjusted position, links pivotally connected with the levers, a bar slidably mounted upon the frame, and having connection with the links, and spring means associated with the bar to return the clamping members to normal position. Y Y

6. A hand truck comprising a frame, an adjustable slide member, crossed levers pivoted to the slide member, clamping members connected with'the levers and adapted to move toward and away from one another, means to lock said slide member in adjusted position, links pivotally connected with the levers, a bar slidably mounted upon the frame, and having connection with the links, and spring means associated with the bar to return the clamping members to normal position.

'l'. A hand truck comprising a truck frame., a bar adjustably supported upon the frame, a member slidable upon the frame, pairs ot levers pivoted to said slide member and being flree from connection with the frame, clamping members carried by the levers. connections between the links and bar, and links pivotally connected with the levers, and means to lock the slide member in adjusted position.

8. A hand truck comprising. a truck trame, wheels supporting the frame, an adjustable member mounted upon the'irame, crossed levers arranged in pairs pivoted to said member, clamping members supported by and pivoted to the levers and adapted to be adjusted toward and away from one another, crossed links pivoted to certain of the levers points below `where the levers are crossed, means to move said adjustable member up or down upon the frame to effect an adjustment of the clamping members, an operating member adjustably mounted upon the frame, and pivotally connected with the links, and spring means associated with said operating member whereby the latter is operated against the action of ksaid spring.

9. A hand truck comprising 'a truck frame, clamping members, means to adjust the clamping members toward or away from each other' being` movable bodily upon and free from i'ixed connection with the frame, means to lock the clamping members against movement away from each other afterthey` have been adjusted,rand means cooperating with the clamping members and adjusting means therefor to move the clamping members toward one another` and into clamping position. y

10. A hand truck comprising a truck frame, clamping members mounted `on the frame, means to move the clamping members toward or away from each other includ-` ing an operating bar slidable upon the frame and having a series of openings therein, a projection adapted to extend into the openings carried by the frame, a locking member fiictionally engaging the outer face of said bar at a point opposite the projection, and spring means to hold said member in engagement with; the bar.

11. A hand truck comprising a truck frame, wheels supporting the frame, clamping members, means to move the clamping members toward or away fromeach other, comprising crossed levers pivotedto and supporting the clamping members, arbar slidably mounted on `the frame, a sliding member slidably mounted upon said bar and pivotally connected with said levers, an operating bar connected with said sliding member and slidably supported upon the frame, means to lock the operating bar in dil'l'erent adjusted positions to hold the clamping members against movement away from leach other, links pivoted to certain of the crossed levers, said links being pivoted to said first named bar, and a spring to normally hold said l'irst named bar in up position.

12. A hand truck comprising a truck frame, a bar slidable upon the frame, a slide member adjustably supported upon the frame, levers pivoted to the slide member and being free from` connection with the frame, means to lock the slide member in adjusted position, clamping members carried by said levers and adapted to move toward and away from one another upon adjustment of the slide member, links pivoted to the bar and levers, and a pedal member connected with the bar and adapted to be depressed to operate the bar and links and move the clamping members into clamping position.

13. A hand truck comprising a truck frame, wheels supporting the frame, a bar slidably mounted upon the frame, a slide member slidable upon the bar, means to move the slide member up and down upon the` bar and to lock the slide member in` adjusted position, levers pivoted to the slide member and being free from connection with members, andsprling means to return the bar, links, levers and clamping members to normal position. Y

lll.l A hand truck comprising a truck frame, wheels for supporting the frame, a barslidable upon the frame, a slide member adjustable upon the bar, means to operate the slide member and to lock the slidememvber in adjusted position, crossed levers piv oted to the slide member, clamping members carried by the crossed levers, said clamping members and levers being free from connection with the frame, links pivoted lto the crossed levers and bar, a pedal member connected with the bar, and a spring Amounted upon said bar to lreturn the levers, links and clamping members to normal positions.

15. A hand truck comprising a truck frame, wheels for supporting the frame, a bar slidable upon the frame, a slide member adjustable upon the bar, means to operate the slide member and to lock the slide member in adjusted position, crossed levers pivoted to the slide member, clamping members carried by the crossed levers, said clamping members and levers being free from connection with the frame, links pivotedrto the crossed levers and bar, a pedal member connected with the bar, a spring mounted upon said bar to return the levers, Vlinks and clamping members to normal positions, and inwardly extending lugs on the opposed faces of the clamping members, said lugs being adapted to engage under the article to be lifted by the truck.

16. A hand truck having a frame, load supporting or clamping members, carrying means on which said clamping members are pivotally mounted, means for bodily moving said carrying means longitudinally of the Jframe to move said members toward and away from one another for supporting various widths of loads, and means vfor actuating said members to support a load.

17. A hand truck having a -frame, load supporting orclamping members, carrying means on which said clamping members are pivotally mounted, means for bodily moving said carrying means longitudinally of the frame to move said members toward and away from one another forV supporting various widths of loads, means `for actuating said members to support a load, and means for locking said iirst named means in adjusted position with relation to said frame.

18. A hand truck having a frame, load supporting or clamping members, means carrying said members and bodily movable longitudinally of the frame tov adjust the clamping members with relation to each other, means for locking said first named means in fixed position relative tothe frame,

and means for actuating said clamping members while the first named means is locked.

19. A'hand truck having a frame, load supporting or clamping members, means carrying said members free from lixed connection with the frame, said means bodily movable longitudinally of the frame to adjust said members with relation to each other for varying widths of loads, means for holding said first named means in fixed relation to said frame, and means for actuating said members. i A

20. A truck having a frame comprising side bars and supporting Wheels at the lower end thereof, carrying means bodily movable longitudinally of said side bars, supporting or clamping members pivotally mounted on said means and extending in front of said side bar s and free therefrom, means for holding said first named means in given positions relative to the frame, and means for actuating said members.

21. A truck comprising a frame having side bars and supporting wheels at the lower end thereof, clamping or supporting meinbers, carrying means bodily movable longitudinally of the frame upon which said members are pivotally mounted and movable toward and away from each other by vthe movement of said means, means for holding said first named means in fixed relation to said frame, and means for actuating said clamping members while the first named means is held in such fixed relation relative to the frame.

22. Atruclr having a frame including side i Y transverse zone of movement of said members, and means for moving the clamping members through said predetermined zone. 2li. A truck comprising a frame having side bars and supporting wheels at the lower end thereof, clamping bars, and levers bodily shiftably mounted in front of the side bars and spaced therefrom for moving the clamping members toward and from one another.

25. A truck comprising a frame having side bars vand supportingwheels at the lower end thereof, aivoted bars mounted in front ofV the side bars and spaced therefrom, clamping ymembers carried by the pivoted bars, means whereby the clamping members act under the weight of a load to automatically tighten their grip upon the load, and means for automaticallyreleasing the clamping members when the weight of the load is relieved. l Y

26. A hand truck comprising a truck frame having side bars and supporting wheels, pivoted levers mounted upon the frame in front of the side bars and spaced therefroimopposed box clamping members carried by the levers and adapted to be i moved toward and away from one another,

spring means operatively associated with the levers, and means cooperating with the first named operating means to move the clamping members into clamping position whereby they will support the weight of a load against the action of the spring means, the levers acting to automatically tighten the grip of the clamping members under the weight of the load and automatically moving out of clamping position when the weight of the load is removed. I

27. The combination with a hand truck, of pivoted levers mounted in frontvof the frame of the truck and spaced therefrom,

opposed clamping members carried by the levers, and means cooperating with the levers to move the clamping members into clamping position whereby they will support the weight of a load, the said means operating to automatically release the clamping members when the weight of the load is relieved.

28. A hand truck-having a frame, parallel motion mechanism carried by the frame, load supporting or carrying members pivotally connected to the free ends of said mechanism, and means for operating said mechanism to close or separate said clamping members.

29. A truck Vhaving a frame, parallel motion mechanism comprising a double set of lazy tong members pivoted on the frame, load supporting ror carrying members pivotally supported on the free ends of said lazy tong members, and means for expanding and contracting theY lazy tong members to transversely translate the clamping members relative to each other and maintain them in horizontal alinement.

Signed at Riverside, California, this 20th day of January, 1917.

EDGAR J. BRYAN.

litnesses:

' WM. T. D INsMoRn,

J. A. SIMMEB, 

